Railway traffic controlling apparatus



E. A. LOWMAN v RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS July 28, 1931.

Filed Jan. 21. 1929 INVENTOR 5.6. L0 u/man,

M wu'rohus'v @Qww. I- l U PENNSYLVANIA ,3 5M;aaameiaaaairway traflic controlling apparatus; and. particularly to apparatus of the :type comprising "train car,-

Jri'ed"governing means 'fcontrolled by" energy 35 received from' the. trackway; I More particu larly my icpresent invention relates to "the I I e trackwaysportionofjsuch apparatus j y V 1 Plwilldescribeoneform'of trackway appa- 1 ratusembodying myIinvention; and will then Lpointoutthe novel features thereofin claims, The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustratingone fOrmoftra-Ckway apparatus embodyingmyinvention; :7 5

--i--Referring tothe dra wingythev reference ,charaoters lkan'd lidesignate the track rails of L a stretch erran track over which traflic normally moves in the direction indi V cated by' the arrow; 5; These rails' are divided,

.by' means of insulated joints 2, into" a plus ra'lity of successivelblocks 'Af-B, BC,' 'etc.-,

each of which contains aplurali'ty of sections.

" For example, blocklAaB Jcont'ainstWO sections and. XeB, 'and'-block-BeCcom ftains'two sections B+YfandY+Gfii Track I circuit'current is. constantly suppliedf to each section. by: a trackabattery '3 I connected across Rwith a distinguishing exponent, andboh {each section isiprov-ided with a'track transfform er designated by the reference character -1ac ossthe rails fadjac g Un der some conditions and reliable source ramme-tin currentis Knot available l' thereforelpropose to provide each block; with; a. source of direct "current," "such "for example, a ea line battery, reach of gwhighais designated in: the" drawing the 'l 'with an; exponent corresponding to the lo"- ;.cat1on andhaving'its secondary *5 connected desirab le .to operate. apparatus of thel' typie {here described in localities where a uniform adj the opposite h g Y the; exit 'end of the co'r respond ing sectionp xr 1 i i of operatiouit :i's

J Titer-twig ooNrRoLLiNG nrrAnA'rUs afiti ieafibn' filed J'annary 21,1929; s rial m. 333,867. 7

reference cha'racter H with an exponent cor responding tothe location, and to-operate means of currentfrom this 'batteryapparatus which will supply alternatingcurrent tothe trackway; The batteries H may be storage batteries, and" each of these batternator Q. Each'line battery receives energy from'the transmission line througha transformer and a rectifier, designated by the reference characters L and P respectively, with suitable distinguishing exponents;

-With'this arrangement the operationof the apparatus receiving energy from the r batteries H is not subj ect to interruption as are- I sult of failure of the supply ofen'ergy from thetransmission line.

relay, designated by the reference "character Dwith a distinguishing exponent, and located'adjacentthe exit end'of the block. "Each block is also provided with an auxiliary relay, designated by thefreferencecharacter G .with an exponent'corresponding to the'loca- 1tion,'"and disposed adjacent the entranceiend a of the block! Referring particularly to block and 1 2, windingjof-relay DB, wire '13', front contact 14v of relay R wire 15, front conand 26, backto battery H The parts are so proportioned, however, that when this circuit is closed, relay Gr is energized; but relay D does not then receive enough current to close its front contacts. If a train occupies 1 section AX,:howeverytrackrelay R is dex energized, so that wire 15 in'thecircuit just i traced is disconnected from wirel'? andis 'connected through back contactfld of relay B -5iwire27, resistor 28and'wires' 29'and 30,"

wire '19,and thence as before back tobattery H 1 It will be plain, therefore, that when relay R is 'de-energize'd, relay Ge is replaced ach' block is'provided with an approach by resistor28inthecircuit'forrelay DFHThQ j ewis, winxmsnuiae," rENnsYnvANIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro THE UNION it swrronasremir qoiyrrnivr,onsw ssvami,rENNs LvAN A,A conrom rroiyor A Bfthe auxiliary relay G and the ajefproach relay D -forzthi's block are normally connected in series over a circuit which may be traced from battery H through wires 11 resistor 28 is soproportioned that when relay R 'is de-energized the current then supplied to relay D is suflicient to close the front contacts of relay D Still another circuit may be traced for relay D from battery H 3,

'3 through wires 11 and 12,' winding of relay D wire 13, back contact 14 of relay R3, re-

' sistor 31, and wires32, 33, 34 and 26, back to I battery H 3; fThere'sistor' 31 is so propo r V that when block A B isunoc'cu pied,"so that relays R and R are both energized, relays GA and D laresuppliedin series with current which closes relay G but does not close relay DB; lVhen either'of sections Ae-X' or is occupied by atrain, however v relay- Gf 1s de.-'energized,fbut the currcn't' then supphed to relay D i-ssutlicient' to close this-relay. v

Each block is provided with a coding device,designated by the reference character K with a suitable exponent, and operating times upon current received from the 'assocr ated battery to supply periodically lnterr'upted alternating current to the trackway. Referring particularly to. device K thistlevicecomprises a direct current motor 7 which isprovided with acircuit passing from bat teryrHB through-"wires 11 and: frontcontact 36 of relay D wire 37 motor 7 of device Kiand wires 38, 34and 26, back tofbattery' H2 It will be plain that the motor 7 is nor;- mally de-e'nergized, but that when relay D 'becomesenergized, as by the entrance-of a train intoiblock A B, motor? is connected with battery-H so" that the motor isthen 'operated- Operatively: connected with the motor 7 is an alternating current generator 8 and two code wheels 9? and 10%, vwhich; operate contacts-9 and 105 respectively,,in such nanner that vwhen motorf7. isrunniirgythe contacts 9 and 10 are periodically opened and closedatdifferent frequencies :The alternating current delivered by'ge'nerator 8ofcoding device K 'is supplied; overfco'nta'ct 9 or con-- tact 10, depending'uponth'e condition of relay G3, to the primary-Got transformer T orto the" primary 6 of transformer T depen ding uponthecondition of relay R As shownrin'the drawing, relays G? and R? are bothfenergizedyand if, underixthese conditionsirelay-D ecom'es energized so ofjrela'y G Wire d3,lfront contact Mlofre I lay'R Ywire45, primary Snot. transformer and Wl16S 4:6 23, 24, 25.534 and-38 back to generator 8. Underr these conditions,

' therefore,., alternating current: supplied 5 fgenerator 8fisperiodically interrupted by --c'onta'ct 10"and supplied to the rails of sec-.

tion If ;relay R is de -ener'gized, the

circuit just traced is interrupted and current is then supplied from generator 8 over the circuit previously traced as far as wire 43, and thence through back contact 44 of relay R wire 47, primary 6, of transformer T and wires48,49,' 32, 33: and 38 back to generator 8. Under these conditions, then; the current supplied bygenerator 8 is periodically interrupted contact 10 and is supplied to the rails of" section It should be noted that itrelay G is de-enen gized,so that back contact 42 of this relay is closed; the circuit 'forgenerator 8 will then include contact 9v o-f-device K instead of contact 10, and the current supplied to the track rails-will be interrupted at 'aE-diflerent frequency." g r Before describing-the. operation oftheza pi paratus as awhole, it shouitdfbeipointedont that the trackway apparatus herein. shown and described is intendedfl-tcr cooperation with train carried governingimeans' which is responsive to therfrequency ofthe periodic interruptions the; alternating trainscontrolling current supplied. to the. trackwa-y.

vices Ki. and" may display a caution indication whenthe rails are supplied with alternating train controlling current interrupted at thefrequ-encyof operation of contacts 9 i.

of the coding. devices If the/supply of alternatingtrain controlling current is: interrupted ia stop: indicationxis receivedon board the'traini,

; 'As'sliownin' the draw ill gs thestretch of track is LIHOGC lIlph-Kl; sothat all track'iirelays R' are, energi'zedi- Each, auxiliary relay G is therefore energized and: each approach Erelay D is vopengrso. that allot-the coding-devices K areatv rest: I will now: assumefthata train, moving' inthe directionaindicated by the arrow passes through the stretchof track shown iii-the drawing r When the train enters ,secti-on A- X relayU R becomes deenergized, thereby replacing relay G by resistor 28 in the circuitv for: relay DRY Y Relay G therefore becomes de energizedfand relay D picks up; As a result; current from'batfiery TI operates motor: 7. of i coding device KB to drive the generatorB and the. code Since. relaysR and G3 wheels 9F: and 10 are now energized,lalternating current, periodically interrupted .bycontact 10, is. sup-, plied to the primary ottransformen-Tx so that :1. proceed indication'is receivedonboard the train. When the. train enters? section =X-B ,,relay R becomside-energized,thereby transferring the; circuitiOrireIayFD f,toiiiv V "cluderesistor 31 an d back contact-1 h of relay "R3, Relay "D therefore-remains energized erate. Since relay R is now de-energized however, the supply of current to transtorm'- 1' er T -is interrupted'at front contact M of this relay, but transformer T is supplied "with train controlling currentyover contact lOof device K throughiback contact; 4 10f relay R The trainther'efore continues to receive'a proceed indication as it moves: through section XV B-.:,'When the 'rear'of the trainpasses out of section A-'X,' relay R becomes energized, butrelayG remains open because its circuit isnow open attront contact 14. of relayR When the train en'- ters section B-Y," relayG becomesde Qenergized, and relay D9 picks up," thereby t f Setting coding device K into operation and supplying train controlling current to the rails of block BCin the same manner as I already described in connection with block A'B; WVhen the rear of thetrain passesout oi -section XB,'the energization of relay jR completes the normalseries circuit for relays Gr and D so that'relay G closes and v .2 "relay D3 opens. The coding deviceK is then H de.-ener; ;'ized, and thesupply of traincontrolling current to block A'B is disconmltinued. The' operation of the apparatus as the": train passes through (block will [be understood from the drawing Without fur T ther explanation. T f

7 It will be'manifest from the foregoing that. if-any portion of block 'B' C is occupied by" a train, relay G willbede-energized. If a train enters section,A*X underthese condia tions, the operationotthe-apparatus will be the same as was described hereinbefore except that contact ,9 of device K is now included in thefcircuitforgenerator 8: of device K so. that, the currentfsupplied to the rails is in-' 'terrupted at the'frequency of operation of contact 9. I Under these conditions the train receives a caution indication, and thisIindi- '.-cation will,i of course,'-'persist*as' theetrainr, ii'proceeds through section -X.'B. H Furthermoraif a train occupies ,a forward section inya block," such for example as YC or B-C, and a follo'wing train 'enters f the block, the. followingtrain will not receive train controlling current, so tha'ta stop indication will be received onb'oard the train, I I u I one advantage ofmy inventionis that I I haveprovided apparatus operating upon direct current which may be supplied from a storage 'batteryand which delivers periodically interrupted alternating current to the 1 track rails for the. control of train carried governing means. It is thereforeunnecessary to depend upon 'atransmission line for the k l integrity of the'apparatus at each location. 5 With apparatus embodyingmy invention, if f thesupply of current to the transmission line 4, 4, should be interrupted,- the,batteries H pply energy to thetrackway apparatusfor a" considerable interval of time. Asa result, the traincontrolling apparatus would suffer no interference'whatever.

The broad'combinatio'n of a directcurrent 6' motor driving an alternating current gener'ator'and also driving acontact for coding the alternatingcurrent supplied to the rails, is notclaimedherein' but this combination u iorms'the subiect matter of a copendingiap plication, SerialNo. 24 15,377, filed January 9, 1928, by Sasnettpf or automatic traincontrol/systems.

embodying my invention, it is understood that spirit and scope oof my invention; y {Having thus described myinventiomwhat I claimis': a r

Although I h lvehereinLshOWn ndid scribedfonly one form of trackway apparatus. 30 a 1. In combination, a stretch of track,;a'transformer having its secondaryconnectedwith'th'e rails of said stretch,a source" of direct current and means receivingenergy from said source for supplying" periodically interruptedalternating current to the primaryofsaid transformer 2. ln combination, a stretch of railway trackfa transformer having its secondary lconnected with 1 the rails of said stretch,ja

source of direct current, means receiving en er'gyiromsaid source for supplying alter'- hating current to the primary of said transiormen and meansfor at times periodically interrupting said alternating current at'dif- I r ferentfrequencies depending upon-trafliccon ll itionsig In -combination, a forwardandla rear fsectionof railwaytrack,atrackrelajy foreach I V saidsecti'on, an auxiliaryrelay, an approach a relay,- agcircuitincluding said'auxiliaryl-re -t,

Flay and 'saidapproach 'relay and front-con tacts of both said track'relays', a second eir- -cuitl for said'approa'ch relay including a front cbnta'ct'ofthe-trackrelay forsaid forward" a section' and"aiback contactof the track relay forthe rear section, a thirdcircuit for said I approach relay including aback contact of thetrack relay forthe forward section, saidapproach relay being closed when said second or third circuit is closed but not when said first circuit is closed, means controlled by 120 saidapproach' relay. for governing the supply of train controlling current to said forward and rear sections, and means controlled by said auxiliary relay for supplying train con- I ,trolling current to the rails in rear of "said "rear'section'. r

4. In combination, a forward and a rear v block of railway track, an auxiliary relay for controlling the supplyof train controlling:

1 ti. be unafiected'and would consumercurrent to said rear block, an approach relay 1 I for controlling the supply of train control-,

'4 v j a "11315348 limgcnrrent tosaid'fiorward b1Qk m8&]l1S for normally supplying current of one Value? to said auxiliary relay and-said approachrel'ay in series to close said anxi-liary rel-aybat not v said approach rela=.y', an d means for supplying *relay' but not to. said auxiliary relay when said fiorward block is-:-ooc11pie d1 a train. 51in combination; a plurality.of.sncces?-, ,io sive blockso-f railwaytrack, an auxiliary're lay-and an'approachrelay for each section means; for normally supplyi ng cnrrent' of one Value to the auxiliary relay and approach for each block in series," to" closeifi'such- 1.5 auxiliaryrelay but notsuch approach-rela means efie'cti-ve when a block is Occupied for c p supplying; current of a difierent: value; to the associated approach relay,'apparatus=for each 'hl'ocl; controlled by the associated approach 2c relay for generating: alternating current,' two contacts for each secti o-n periodically o'perated at different frequencies, and means fior I supplying current from each said apparatus 7 toithe'coprresponding block over; one or the other of. the associated contacts depending the block nexltfinadvance. 6'. In combination, a'fo-rward and a rear section of railway track, a track relay for 30 each section, an auxiliaryrelayx an approach I relay, a-circiiit including said auxiliary and wapproachrelays; and a front contact. of each said track relay, and effective tolclose" said" auxiliary relay but not, said approach. relay, 35 two resistors eachh-aving; aloWe-rresista-nce 7 than said auxiliary relay; a second circuit ,QresistOis,afront-contacfi ofthe:1trackz relay 7 i c-o'i the track relaygfor the IGZLIiSEClZlOH a third circuitfor said approach relayincludi-ngthe A the supply of train: controlling 'currentto".

' "bothsaid sections' and'm eanscontrollecliby said-auxiliary relay for governing the supply of? train-controlling; currentato the track; tear o'f'said rear section. 1 v

. i in testimony whereoflafiix'my sign-attire. V

Y e .TEUGENEAzLQWMANa current of aditfierent'value to said. approach g it npomthef condition of the auxiliaryrelay for I 'i-"ncllmc ling; said approach ;rrel ay, onet'of' said r for the'foryva'rd' section, and a back contact v a f otherrresistor and-a hackcontact'ofthe track I relay-filer theto-rward: section -means' con trolled'by said approach relayfor governing V 1, j 

